An Interview with SUMiT; The Voice of Hope and Innovation in Hip-Hop
Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with
SUMiT, a dynamic rapper, lyricist, and poet hailing from Worcester, MA. With over 60 independently released tracks and collaborations with heavyweights like Fabolous, Sean Kingston and OT The Real, he seamlessly weaves insightful lyrics with a diverse array of musical styles.
SUMiT has electrified stages across the country—from Brooklyn to Las Vegas—sharing the spotlight with prominent artists such as Rick Ross and Soulja Boy. His journey began in the vibrant hip-hop culture of his hometown, inspired by the legendary sounds of East Coast emcees like Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z.
For more than a decade, SUMiT honed his craft in solitude, overcoming self-doubt and tapping into his deep-rooted passion for music. A transformative conversation with confidant Danny DiRoberto marked a turning point, igniting his creative potential and leading to a rapid ascent in the hip-hop world.
With a commitment to uplifting and inspiring his audience, SUMiT's artistry embodies authenticity and innovation. He carries a mission to spread messages of hope and perseverance through his music, all while staying connected to his roots and family.
Join us as we delve into SUMiT's creative process and his vision for the future. As he puts it, "Every time I write, it feels like the hardest puzzle I've ever had to solve and the easiest game I've ever played at the same time." Let’s explore the mind behind the music.
Why did you choose SUMiT for your artist name?When I started taking rap seriously back in 7th grade my best friend at the time, who eventually passed away in a car accident the summer after 10th grade, gave me the name because it was a play on reaching the top and being the best. At that time it was “Summit” with 2 M’s though. I dropped an M like a year or 2 later to make it more of my own name. Fast forward years later I find out it’s a pretty common name in the Hindi culture, and it literally means “good friend”. I thought that was kinda crazy.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a recording artist? Back in the day everyone wanted to be a rapper and it was very common for dudes around the way to be selling their own Mixtape CDs so the notion of making my own was something that started way back then when I was like 14-15 but having the means to record wasn’t accessible unless you knew someone. So I had met a classmate who had just a microphone and a computer program so I started there and put a little mixtape out. From that experience though I was put off by the need to self-promote as an artist, and after graduating high school, I felt the societal pressures to get a “real job.” So I did not pursue recording but rather continued to write countless songs and freestyles for 10 years. I worked as a behavioral therapist with autistic and behavioral children in a private company and for the public schools. I enjoyed my job and making a difference in people’s lives was very fulfilling, I don’t regret it at all. But neglecting my own passion and having people who had been close to me seem to forget how much music meant to me slowly brought me to a place of depression and a feeling of anonymity. I disclosed to my best friend, Danny DiRoberto (now manager and exec producer) that I had been feeling suicidal, like my opportunity in life had gone by. Being the great friend that he is, Danny told me he still believed in me and would do whatever it takes to help me in realizing my potential. Weeks later, as fate would have it, my little brother’s best friend and musician, Dezi Garcia, had gotten an audio engineering internship at a local studio. He was encouraged to bring in artists to record and learn, so he asked me to come in. That began what I would create into my first studio project, and once I got back in the booth I knew there was no turning back ever again.
Where do you get your inspiration from? I know it’s cliche to say everything but it really is true. Just my life, my perspective, my feelings, my circumstances, my taste. The most definitive inspiration I get musically though is from the beat, when I hear the music it brings a confluence of all those things I mentioned and funnels them into expressing something cohesively.
Tell us about your process for creating music? For a very long time I could only describe it as blacking out. I say that because I would lose time and not really remember the process or ideas at all. I would kinda come to and read the words I’d written down and my mouth would have to try to catch the flow and keep up. Now I feel like I’m not completely blacking out, I’m there, in some kind of fugue state, but I’m not just trying to get out of my own way- I’m literally out of my own way. It’s like being “in the zone” in sports. Your awareness of being in that frame of mind is a distraction that takes you out of it. Every time I write it feels like the hardest puzzle I’ve ever had to solve and the easiest game I’ve ever played at the same time.
Tell us more about your latest Album “Get Up & Go?”The working title is “Get Up & Go” and it’s basically 8 songs that are filled with energy and messages that will resonate with anyone aspiring for something or anyone who has something they want to aspire to but maybe just need a little inspiration to give them the nudge that gets them in motion.
Who are your primary musical influences?Too many to actually name. Over the course of my life the longstanding biggest inspirations in music I would say are Notorious BIG, Pete Townshend and The Who, Bob Dylan, Jay-Z, DMX, Eminem, Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Dipset, Kanye, Coldplay, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jack White and The White Stripes, Drake, Incubus. Those I would say, like, have stood the test of time and been part of my soundtrack.
How would you describe your music and genre?I think I am extremely versatile and hard to pinpoint. There are things like getting on Boom bap beats that are my bread and butter and I’ve been doing since I was a kid but I can also take things in a completely different direction now and I don’t feel uncomfortable or out of place doing it.
What message do you hope others will take from listening to your music?Hope.
How would you describe your style and what sets you apart?I think what sets me apart is just being myself, I’m a complex person and I think it comes through in my music in different ways. Objectively speaking, rhyming-wise I have a structural style to arranging my syllables and a flow that is unique to me.
What's your favorite song in your catalog and why?My favorite song at the moment is “Tale of an Underdog,” and I say it’s my favorite because it encapsulates what I have been feeling and going through in a powerful way. I think the lyricism is me at my best and there’s just something very special about it. The first lines you hear are from the chorus and say “I shed a tear to this beat before I even could read it or write to it/ whether I’m scared or I’m weak I’m prepared to be there til I fight through it” and that’s true. Before I wrote a word down, just the music of the beat literally brought me to tears at like 6:30 am. And then after recording for the final product to be what it is, it’s just a really special one for me. As far as released tracks, my favorite one out there is a song called Plus 1. It’s about living in the moment, having fun, not worrying about being judged. It speaks on still being single and chasing dreams while friends and peers are settling down. Song is really just a dope vibe too.
What is your mission? My mission is to bring joy to the world and make people feel less alone. To inspire compassion for others and encouragement to follow one’s dreams.
When did you first realize that you had this gift of music? The first rap I ever wrote was about a situation with my dad. It was basically the spirit of Em’s Cleaning Out My Closet, but it was my story and something I had been keeping in so when I wrote it, right away I had that feeling of wow I’m good at this because it was saying something I had wanted to say so bad but didn’t have the words to.
How can people support you?Listening to the music, sharing it on social media, but mostly personally telling people in conversation and showing them a song- pointing them in the right direction to hear more music. That is the biggest help of all.
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